Stiftung Warentest
Expensive cross trainers fail the test in rows
Cross trainers for the home performed poorly in the Stiftung Warentest
©Getty Images
Stiftung Warentest tested cross trainers for use at home – with disastrous results. Seven out of eight devices were “poor”, and cheap models were by no means tested.
Fitness equipment for home workouts has boomed during the pandemic. But not all of the expensive devices live up to their promises. In a recent comparison, Stiftung Warentest tested cross trainers for use at home – and came to devastating results. Seven of the eight models tested received the overall grade “poor”, the best device was just “sufficient”.
The testers had by no means reached into the lowest price range, according to the product test, the tested cross trainers cost an average of between 450 and 1300 euros. But the test program also revealed major weaknesses in the higher-priced devices. A problem with almost all candidates was stability. If very heavy people pull on the handles, the tubes can bend during training, and some handrails even broke off in the test.
Pollutants and bruised feet
In addition, the handles often contained critical plasticizers, five models did not pass the test for harmful substances. According to the product test, there is also a risk of crushing the feet of two test candidates because moving parts come too close. Finally, the testers were not satisfied with the measuring systems of the cross trainers either. The number of watts displayed – as a measure of the force used when pedaling – often did not match reality. Some devices tended to show too many watts, others too little. Depending on the situation, this can lead to overexertion or, conversely, to ineffective training.
The conclusion of the testers: “Actually, we cannot recommend any of the tested cross trainers.” The best was the “Christopeit Eco 2000” for around 600 euros with the overall grade “sufficient”. The training itself worked best with the “Finnlo Loxon XTR BT” – the most expensive device in the test at around 1300 euros failed to score in the pollutant and safety tests.
According to the product test, the manufacturers reacted differently to the massive criticism of the testers. Some stated that bent handles were not a problem in practice, but some offered to replace broken handles free of charge. The manufacturers could not explain the faulty wattage measurements, one supplier attributed the pollution to production chaos in Asia. A manufacturer stopped selling the tested device completely.
You can take the complete test for a fee here read